Clock-movement



A E H O T G H KI S S G10 0 k M 0 v e m 6 nts r Patented Jan. 20. 1880.

mvauwn 4611. 11 5 AITORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. HOTCHKISS, OF CHESHIRE, CONNECTICUT.

CLOCK-MOVEM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,673, dated January 20, 1880.

Application filed October 6, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR. E. HOTCHKISS, of Cheshire, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clock-Movements; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andto letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of clockmovements in which an internally-toothed circular rack is employed to aid in transmitting the force of the mainspring to a train of clockwork; and it is an improvement upon the earlier invention covered by my application, recently allowed, wherein the rack was stationary and communicated with the train through the medium of a transmitting-wheel having planet motion.

My object in the present invention is to enable the rack to be lighter in construction and easier in operation; also, to allow the transmitting-wheel to have a bearing at each end of its shaft or arbor. These objects I effect chiefly by giving rotary movement to the rack and modifying the construction and methods of attachment of the other parts accordingly.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front perspective of a clock embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section through the parts behind the pillar-plate. Fig. 3 represents, in detail, the rack with the attached plate and hollow hub; and Fig. 4 represents, in detail, the fixed plate and pillar'plate, and the transmitting-wheel journaled between them.

A designates the front plate of my clock; B, the pillar-plate; C, the train of wheels, journaled to said plates A B and operating hands a b D, the mainspring attached to clock-case E, and O the pendulum, instead of which a balance-wheel or other suitable device may be employed, according to the nature of the time-piece.

The manner of attachment is preferably by claws f, extending back from barrelfront plate F, as in my earlier application, and bars L, which rigidly connect the pillars to said back E. Except these fastening-bars L, the abovenanied devices are not new in this application, but have substantially the same construction and arrangement as in my earlier invention above mentioned.

G designates a disk, which is concentric with plate F, and turns parallel with and against the face thereof. Disk G is provided with a central hollow internally screw-threaded hub, g, which extends through barrel-plate F and back E to the outside of the clock-case. To this hub the operating end of the mainspring is attached at g, and its threaded interior receives the threaded arm of a key, I, which winds said spring by turning hub g and disk G. Said disk is provided with a raised peripheral rack, H, which is circular in form andinternally toothed. As said rack is not used to support any of the works it can be made lighter than when so used, as in my former applica tion.

J designates a fixed plate, which is rigidly connected to the back of pillar-plate B by attachin g devices, which leave space for a transmitting wheel, K, between said plates 13 J. Said plate J is perforated to allow the passage of the center arbor through itinto the interior of hub g, for convenience in setting the hands. WVheel K is stationary as to the location of its axis, and preferably has a bearing therefor in each of said plates B J. This double journaling gives greater security, and is made possible by the fact that this wheel K is stationary instead of having planet motion. It is possible to make the rack H' gear directly with the clock-movement; but the presence of the transmitting-wheel is very desirable. The wheel K is interposed between a pinion of said movement and said rack, so as to receive rotary motion from the latter and transmit it to the former.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of arack which rotates while the clock-work operates with an actuating device, a train of wheels, and an escapement.

2. In a time-piece, an internally-toothed driving-rack arranged to rotate when the Wind ing ceases.

3. The combination of rack H, plate G, and hub g, turning together, with a clock'move- 5 ment and eseapement adapted to keep time.

4. The combination of rotary rack H with pillar-plate B, front plate, 0, plate J, the transmitting-Wheel, and the clock-movement and eseapement. 1o 5. The combination of plates B J 7 Which serve as bearings for stationary transmittingwheel K, with said wheel, the clock-movement,

and the rotating rack, substantially as de scribed.

6. The combination of rotaryd isk G, having 15 rack 11 and hub g, with bracing-plates F J between which said disk turns.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of September, 1879.

ARTHUR E. HOTOHKISS.

Witnesses M. O. DOOLITTLE, GEO. G. SoRANToN. 

